SKOPJE 2025
EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL
SKOPJE 2025
The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) serves as a vital stepping stone for young Irish athletes, providing their first taste of a major multisport event. Since 1991, Team Ireland has claimed 81 medals at the EYOF, and this platform has helped nurture talents who have gone on to excel at the highest level.
Surrounded by nearly 4,000 participants from 48 nations, our athletes will gain early exposure to the dynamics of a large-scale multisport competition. They will experience an environment that mirrors the complexity, excitement, and high standards of senior international events.
Being part of a team that navigates ceremony protocols, accreditation procedures, and village living conditions helps Irish athletes and staff understand the organisational aspects that come with elite-level multi-sport competitions.
For coaches and support staff, the environment will help tailor their guidance, refine development strategies, and identify the competencies and traits that will shape these athletes’ futures. A collective growth will help broaden the pool of people with the experience required to guide future generations toward success at the senior Olympic Games.
Nomination Policies
The nomination policies for EYOF Skopje 2025 have been published – read about them here: EYOF 2025 Nomination Policies
Note: The Nomination Policy for Table Tennis was amended on 18 March 2025 following the decision by the EOC to adjust the age category from 2009–2010 to 2009–2011.
More Information
You can find out more information about Skopje 2025 from the event website: https://skopje2025.sporteurope.org/
And don’t forget to check back here regularly for updates from Team Ireland.
TEAM IRELAND NEWS
FROM KILTERNAN TO THE STELVIO SLOPES – CORMAC COMERFORD COMPLETES SPEED EVENTS WITH SUPER-G
Day Five – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Alpine Skier Cormac Comerford was back in action this morning, competing in the Men’s Super-G speed event in Bormio. The Dubliner held his form on one of the toughest courses in the world to finish 37th with a time of 1:34.58. The event was dominated by [...]
Swim Ireland Appoint Andy Reid as New National Performance Director
Swim Ireland announced the appointment of Andy Reid as the organisation’s new National Performance Director. Reid has been Interim National Performance Director since May 2025 and is the former Head of Performance Pathways & Operations, having worked in the Swim Ireland Performance team since 2010. He is also a former Irish international swimmer and represented Ireland at European and World [...]
NORWEGIAN GALWEGIAN OPENS CROSS COUNTRY WINTER OLYMPIC CAMPAIGN IN THE 10KM + 10KM SKIATHLON
Day Two – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Three-time Olympian, Thomas Maloney Westgård finished his first race of three at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, with a 35th place in the Men’s 10km + 10km Skiathlon in a time of 49.24.6. The Cross-Country skiing events take place in the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium [...]
CORMAC COMERFORD KICKS OFF IRISH ACTION IN BORMIO BECOMING IRELAND’S 34TH WINTER OLYMPIAN
Day One – Team Ireland at Milano Cortina ‘26 Dubliner Cormac Comerford launched Team Ireland’s Olympic campaign today, officially becoming Ireland’s 34th Winter Olympian as he competed in the Men’s Downhill at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Racing on the iconic Stelvio Slope, the Alpine skier recorded a time of 2:04.40 to finish [...]
TEAM IRELAND PREPARE FOR OPENING CEREMONY – RTÉ BROADCAST SCHEDULE REVEALED
Ireland to walk in three clusters in tonight’s celebration at Milano Cortina ‘26 The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games officially open tonight, with opening-day celebrations taking place across four clusters in northern Italy. Team Ireland will be represented by four athletes, all competing in snow sports. While the main Opening Ceremony is staged [...]
A History of Team Ireland at the Winter Olympic Games
Team Ireland made its Winter Olympic debut at the Albertville Games in 1992, entering two bobsleigh teams and marking the country’s first step onto the Winter Olympic stage. Summer Olympians Terry McHugh and Pat McDonagh finished 32nd in the two-man event, while Gerry Macken and Malachy Sheridan placed 38th in the same discipline. McHugh remains [...]
A Message from the Milano Cortina Chef de Mission – Nancy Chillingworth
The road to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games has been defined by exceptional standards and relentless ambition. Over recent seasons, Irish winter athletes have competed in some of the most demanding international environments in sport, raising the level of performance required simply to qualify for these Games. To stand on an Olympic [...]
Introducing… Ben Lynch (Freeski Halfpipe)
The youngest of four boys to Irish Dad Kevin and Mum Claire from South Africa, Ben spent his first couple of years in Dublin before the family emigrated to Canada. It was there where he learned to ski on Grouse Mountain close to their family home in Vancouver. His three brothers all skied and he [...]
Introducing… Thomas Maloney Westgård (Cross-Country Skiing)
From the tiny island of Leka off the coast of Norway, which boasts a mere 600 inhabitants, Irish cross country skier Maloney Westgård represents Ireland thanks to his mother Celia Maloney from Dunmore, Co.Galway. Celia moved to Norway over 35 years ago after meeting her husband Ove on a holiday in the Canaries. [...]
Introducing… Cormac Comerford (Alpine Skiing)
When Dubliner Cormac Comerford takes to the Alpine slopes of Bormio at the 25th Winter Olympiad it will be the realisation of a dream twenty years in the making. The Glenageary native first encountered the sport by chance at the age of eight. “My Auntie lives in the Kilternan area so we were [...]